In the midst of our busy lives, those seemingly insignificant everyday experiences - like booking a flight home for Thanksgiving or writing a thank-you note - may feel less meaningful.



But according to Erin Westgate, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Florida, these experiences carry more value than we attribute them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-purpose-behind-the-research">Purpose behind the research</h2>



Alongside her team at the <a href="https://socialcognition.psych.ufl.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Florida Social Cognition and Emotion Lab</a>, Westgate recently secured a grant from the National Science Foundation.



The researchers intended to examine why people underestimate the significance of future life <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/facial-expressions-arent-enough-to-understand-human-emotions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">experiences</a>. The spark for this exploration ignited during Westgate's school days.



“This started a long time ago when I was in grad school where I was talking to another student who asked me if we know how meaningful events will be in the future,” Westgate said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meaningful-experience-of-thanksgiving">Meaningful experience of Thanksgiving</h2>



The question prompted an interesting study involving <a href="https://www.virginia.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Virginia</a> undergraduates. The students were asked about their expectations of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday's meaningfulness and their thoughts afterward. 



“Surely people know how significant Thanksgiving will be, right? It’s the poster child for gratitude and meaning,” Westgate said.



Much to Westgate's surprise, the students extensively misjudged their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-media-likes-have-a-strong-emotional-effect-on-young-people/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">feelings</a> about the holiday.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-missing-out-on-meaningful-experiences">Missing out on meaningful experiences </h2>



Fast forward to the pandemic-ridden 2020. Westgate revisited her initial findings, asking, “We found it once, but can we find it again?”



With a larger sample of University of Florida undergraduates, the results echoed the first study. People chronically underestimated the value of their Thanksgiving holiday.



“We want to live meaningful lives, we want to do meaningful things and so if we are not realizing that an experience is going to be meaningful, we may be less likely to do it and miss out on these potential sources of meaning in our own lives,” Westgate said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-decision-factors-in-meaningful-experiences">Decision factors in meaningful experiences</h2>



The research indicated a key factor in decision-making - anticipated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mixed-emotions-linked-to-unique-brain-activity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">feelings</a>.



Whether it's a life-altering decision like a career choice or a family start, or a minor one like attending a holiday event, our decisions lean towards promoting a sense of purpose and fulfillment.



Over the course of a three-year study, Westgate aims to condense the reasons behind our underestimation of experiences - from our career choices to the seemingly mundane task of writing thank-you notes.



The research considers both positive and negative experiences, including the acceptance or rejection of medical school applications.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-sense-of-events">Making sense of events</h2>



The study also explores personal growth experiences that entail discomfort, leading to avoiding certain decisions out of fear.



Still, these very decisions could play an instrumental role in developing resilience and yielding deep satisfaction.



“We don’t make sense of events until they actually happen. We don’t process events until we need to, when they actually happen and not before,” said Westgate. Jumping the gun might lead us to underestimate the potential meaning of certain events.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seeking-solutions-for-underestimation">Seeking solutions for underestimation</h2>



The research aims to go beyond merely identifying problems; it seeks actionable solutions. Many of us often overlook the true value of meaningful experiences. 



This oversight can lead to a less fulfilling life, as we fail to appreciate the depth and significance of our everyday moments. By delving into the reasons behind this underestimation, Westgate’s work strives to illuminate the cognitive biases and misconceptions that cloud our perception of meaning.



Understanding the root of these misconceptions is crucial. It involves exploring psychological patterns and societal influences that lead individuals to undervalue their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/emotional-intelligence-may-be-secret-to-academic-success/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">experiences</a>. 



By identifying these patterns, the research can offer strategies to shift our perspectives and encourage a deeper appreciation of our lives. This shift could not only enhance individual well-being but also promote a more profound connection with others and the world around us.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-harnessing-meaningful-experiences-in-daily-life">Harnessing meaningful experiences in daily life</h2>



The findings suggest that by becoming more aware of our tendency to underestimate the meaningfulness of experiences, individuals can purposefully cultivate more fulfilling daily lives.



Simple changes, such as being more present in the moment, keeping a gratitude journal, or actively reflecting on past experiences, can enhance appreciation for life's ordinary events. 



These practices can help individuals recognize the intrinsic value in seemingly minor experiences, thereby enriching personal happiness and well-being.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-psychological-interventions">Implications for psychological interventions</h2>



The research carries significant implications for psychological interventions aiming to promote mental well-being. Interventions could focus on enhancing awareness of meaningful experiences and encouraging individuals to engage in activities that nurture a sense of purpose.



By integrating these insights into therapy and counseling, mental health practitioners can better support clients in recognizing and capitalizing on the meaningful dimensions of their lives, potentially improving mental resilience and overall life satisfaction.



“Sometimes we go into a project, and we know what we are going to find. This is one of those projects that surprised us,” concluded Westgate.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

We often undervalue the most meaningful experiences in life

In the midst of our busy lives, those seemingly insignificant everyday experiences - like booking a flight home for Thanksgiving or writing a thank-you note - may feel less meaningful. But according to Erin Westgate, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Florida, these experiences carry more value than we attribute them. Purpose behind the research Alongside her team at the Florida Social Cognition and Emotion Lab, Westgate recently secured a grant from the National Science Foundation. The researchers intended to examine why people underestimate the...

A team of researchers from <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a> have created a method to produce hydrogen fuel via solar power, electrodes, and seawater from the San Francisco Bay. By using electricity, the researchers have figured out a new way to separate hydrogen and oxygen gas from seawater that does not require costly highly purified water like existing water-splitting methods do. 

Their research and methodology is published March 18th in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

Hydrogen does not emit carbon dioxide, therefore making it an appealing option for fuel during the current climate crisis. However, using purified water to make enough hydrogen fuel to power cars and cities is not conceivable, according to Stanford’s Hongjie Dai, J.G. Jackson, and co-senior author C.J. Wood.

Splitting hydrogen and oxygen in water — electrolysis — is not a new concept. The process is completed by placing two electrodes in the water. When the power is turned on, hydrogen gas bubbles from the negative end (the cathode), and oxygen is produced at the positive end (the anode). But when electrolysis is done in seawater, the negatively charged chloride corrodes the anode.

But the team realized that by coating the anode in negatively-charged metallic layers (nickel-iron hydroxide over nickel sulfide, all covering a nickel foam core), they could protect the anode, therefore increasing the lifespan of the mechanism from 12 to more than 1,000 hours.

[caption id="attachment_1869892" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/hydrogen-fuel.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1869892" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/hydrogen-fuel.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="366" /></a> This prototype device, Image Credit: H. Dai, Yun Kuang, Michael Kenney[/caption]

The nickel foam core is the conductor, helping electricity travel form the power source. The nickel-iron hydroxide encourages electrolysis, separating oxygen from hydrogen. And the nickel sulfide transforms into a negatively-charged layer that protects the anode.

The team conducted the majority of their tests in a controlled lab setting. However, they also designed a solar-powered mechanism that ran electrolysis in seawater from San Francisco Bay.

Their simple design will now promote the creation of hydrogen fuel, with the entire process powered by solar and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/environmental-impacts-solar-wind-energy/">wind energy</a>. And the breathable oxygen can also be used by divers or submarine operators.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists create hydrogen fuel using solar power and seawater

A team of researchers from Stanford University have created a...

The various habitats and lifestyles of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/mammals-survive-urban-areas/">mammals</a> create a demand for unique arms, which are part of what sets mammals apart from other species. A recent study has found that our early relatives started evolving diverse forelimbs as far back as 270 million years ago.

Study lead author Jacqueline Lungmus is a research assistant at the <a href="https://www.fieldmuseum.org/">Field Museum</a> and a doctoral candidate at the University of Chicago. 


“Aside from fur, diverse forelimb shape is one of the most iconic characteristics of mammals,” said Lungmus. “We were trying to understand where that comes from, if it's a recent trait or if this has been something special about the group of animals that we belong to from the beginning.”

Lungmus collaborated with Field Museum curator Ken Angielczyk to determine the origins of mammals' arms by examining the fossils of their ancient relatives. 

About 270 million years ago, a diverse line of our family tree emerged with the appearance of the therapsids.

[caption id="attachment_1869827" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/upper-arm-bones.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1869827" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/upper-arm-bones.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="316" /></a> Upper arm bones from seven kinds of early mammal relatives, Image (c) Jacqueline Lungmus, Field Museum[/caption]

“Modern mammals are the only surviving therapsids - this is the group that we're part of today,” said Lungmus. 

Therapsids really branched out, and the researchers wanted to investigate whether this explosion of diversity corresponded with a variety of different forelimb shapes. 

“This is the first study to quantify forelimb shape across a big sample of these animals,” explained Lungmus. 

The study revealed that a wide variety of different forelimb shapes evolved among the therapsids 270 million years ago.

“The therapsids are the first synapsids to increase the variability of their forelimbs - this study dramatically pushes that trait back in time,” said Lungmus. 

Prior to this study, diverse forelimbs had only been definitively traced back to 160 million years ago. The new research pushes this phenomenon back by more than 100 million years.


“This is something that's so cool about our evolutionary lineage,” said Lungmus. “These animals are in the same group as us - part of what makes this research compelling is that these are our relatives.”

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Mammals began to develop unique arms 270 million years ago

The various habitats and lifestyles of mammals create a demand...

A new study into how alligators determine where sounds are coming from has revealed a surprise about the evolution of spatial hearing in reptiles and birds.

The shared common ancestor of alligators, other reptiles and their feathered cousins probably evolved spatial hearing – the ability to tell the location of a sound – independently of one another. 

For more than a decade, Dr. Catherine Carr of the <a href="https://www.umd.edu/">University of Maryland, College Park</a> and Dr. Lutz Kettler of the <a href="https://www.tum.de/">Technische Universität München</a> have studied how spatial hearing evolved in reptiles and birds. 

Carr was part of a research team that discovered how alligators can have spatial hearing at all without external ears. That study revealed that alligators had evolved large, air-filled channels between their ears to make up for the problem. Like the neural maps, the channels gave a clue that alligators had developed spatial hearing far differently than mammals.

“Mammals usually have large moveable ears, but alligators do not, so they have solved the problems of sound localization a little differently. This may also be the solution used by the alligator's dinosaur relatives,” said Dr. Hilary Bierman, a co-author with Carr on the <a href="http://bbi.umd.edu/news/news_story.php?id=9388">2014 study</a>.

Kettler, on the other hand, has studied how spatial hearing works in barn owls. Like alligators, barn owls have an <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00422-016-0689-3">interaural canal</a> rather than external ears.

Now, working together, Carr and Kettler have analyzed how alligators determine the location of a sound. They found that their brains create a neural map to chart where a noise is coming from, much like barn owls and chickens – but unlike mammals.

As birds and reptiles are close relatives with a much more recent shared ancestor than either group shares with mammals, the similarities in how they analyze sound points to a separate evolution of spatial hearing, the researchers believe.

The study has been published in <a href="http://www.jneurosci.org/">Journal of Neuroscience</a>. Funding was provided by the <a href="https://www.nih.gov/">National Institutes of Health</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kyla.cathey@gmail.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Alligators evolved spatial hearing independent of mammals

A new study into how alligators determine where sounds are...

If you cut the leg off a salamander, it can grow back. Some animals, such as jellyfish and sea anemones, can actually <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/salamanders-human-regeneration/">regenerate</a> their entire bodies after being cut in half.

Now, a new study led by <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a> is providing new insight into how animals are capable of regeneration. The team has identified a DNA switch that appears to control genes for whole-body regeneration.

When the researchers set out to investigate using three-banded panther worms, they found that a section of non-coding DNA activates a “master control gene” called early growth response (EGR). Once it is active, EGR switches additional genes on or off to control a number of other processes.

“What we found is that this one master gene comes on...and that's activating genes that are turning on during regeneration,” said study co-author Andrew Gehrke. “Basically, what's going on is the non-coding regions are telling the coding regions to turn on or off, so a good way to think of it is as though they are switches.”


In order for this process to work, tightly compacted DNA in the worm’s cells shifted, making new areas available for activation.

“A lot of those very tightly packed portions of the genome actually physically become more open, because there are regulatory switches in there that have to turn genes on or off,” said Gehrke. “So one of the big findings in this paper is that the genome is very dynamic and really changes during regeneration as different parts are opening and closing.”


To understand the changing genetic dynamics, the team needed to first sequence the worm's genome. “That's a big part of this paper - we're releasing the genome of this species, which is important because it's the first from this phylum,” said study lead author Mansi Srivastava. “Until now there had been no full genome sequence available.”


The team identified as many as 18,000 regions of the genome that change during regeneration, and discovered that EGR acts like a power switch for regeneration.

“We were able to decrease the activity of this gene and we found that if you don't have Egr, nothing happens,” said Srivastava. “The animals just can't regenerate. All those downstream genes won't turn on, so the other switches don't work, and the whole house goes dark, basically.”


The study may explain why regeneration does not work in humans. “It turns out that Egr, the master gene, and the other genes that are being turned on and off downstream are present in other species, including humans,” said Gehrke.

According to Srivastava, the big question is why do humans not regenerate if we can turn on EGR when our cells are injured.

“The answer may be that if EGR is the power switch, we think the wiring is different. What EGR is talking to in human cells may be different than what it is talking to in the three-banded panther worm, and what Andrew has done with this study is come up with a way to get at this wiring.”

“So we want to figure out what those connections are, and then apply that to other animals, including vertebrates that can only do more limited regeneration.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists discover the genetic control switch for limb regeneration

If you cut the leg off a salamander, it can...

A restaurant in the Midwest has become the first to use gene-edited food in the United States. According to <a href="http://www.calyxt.com/">Calyxt</a>, a company making cooking oil from gene-edited soybeans, their oil is currently being distributed and used by a midwestern restaurant chain. 

While Calyxt cannot reveal the name of the restaurant, the Minnesota-based company is hoping the news will spark interest in the oil, which contains no trans fat and has a longer shelf life than other cooking oils. 

Last Friday, regulators made moves to allow <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/genetically-modified-salmon/">genetically modified salmon</a> to grow about twice as fast as normal. The fish will be the first genetically modified animal approved for human consumption in the country.

Although officials say genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are safe, critics have pushed for transparency, and soon companies will have to disclose when products have ingredients that have been altered using engineering techniques.

Calyxt explained that its cooking oil does not qualify as a GMO. It is made from soybeans with two inactivated genes to produce more heart-healthy fats and no trans fats. The company is also working on other gene-edited crops, which are faster to develop than conventional GMOs that require regulatory research. 

Tom Adams is the CEO of the biotech company Pairwise. He said that oversight of gene-edited foods could soon become stricter, depending on the public.

“You should never think of regulation as settled,” said Adams.

The <a href="https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/nosb">National Organic Standards Board</a> determined that foods made with gene editing do not qualify as organic. In addition, Europe’s highest court announced last July that gene-edited crops are genetically modified organisms and should be regulated the same way as GMOs.

Some additional gene-edited crops that are currently being explored include mushrooms that do not turn brown, wheat with more fiber, improved tomatoes, and rice that does not absorb pollution from the soil during growth.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Restaurant in the midwest is first in the US to use gene-edited food

A restaurant in the Midwest has become the first to...

A growing collection of studies is changing what we know about how T. rex looked, behaved, and even how the massive dinosaur sounded. The new evidence reveals how differently <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/tyrannosaurus-rex-planted-fruit/">Tyrannosaurus rex</a> may have actually appeared as opposed to the image that has been presented in the past. 

Mark Norell is a curator at the <a href="https://www.amnh.org/">American Museum of Natural History</a> (AMNH), where a new exhibit has been introduced at the museum called “T. rex: The Ultimate Predator,” which highlights recent study findings. 

“Everyone's preconceived ideas of what T. rex acted like and looked like are going to be heavily modified,” Norell told <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/">Business Insider</a>. 

Tyrannosaurus rex was a dominant predator on the Earth during the late Cretaceous period between 68 million and 66 million years ago, just before the dinosaurs were all wiped out.

Among the revelations about T. rex, paleontologists have found that the enormous predators actually came into the world as small, fuzzy creatures about the size of a turkey. Scientists have also concluded that the adult T. rex was not just covered in scales, but also had a mullet of feathers on its head, neck, and tail.

Paleontologists have found that the majority of T. rex hatchlings did not survive, and infants had at least a 60 percent chance of being killed as a result of starvation, disease, or predators. The adults also had a shorter life expectancy, and the oldest known T. rex only lived to the age of 30.

According to AMNH paleontologists, no other animal has had a bite force that compares to T. rex, who could crush 7,800 pounds. While scientists believe that T. rex ate members of its own species, it is not clear whether they killed the dinosaurs or simply ate them because they were already dead.

Paleontologists have determined that the dinosaur had some of the largest eyes of any land animal that were about the size of oranges. The new model also portrays a T. rex with even smaller forelimbs and more prominent hind limbs than previously thought.

While T. rex has always been depicted as having dull colors, the AMNH exhibit suggests that T. rex would have been found in many bright colors just like the diverse reptiles we see today. 
--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New evidence reveals the real T. rex had feathers and massive eyes

A growing collection of studies is changing what we know...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.oist.jp/">Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University</a> (OIST) have sequenced the genome of the popular brown seaweed ito-mozuku. As pollution and rising temperatures transform the ocean waters, this data may ultimately provide critical information for local seaweed farmers.

Each year, thousands of tons of seaweed is harvested along the coast of Okinawa, Japan. But now, scientists are warning that a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-shrunk-global-fisheries/">changing climate</a> and a polluted ocean will lower the annual yield and create a demand for new cultivation methods.

While this is the first time that the genome of ito-mozuku has been examined, the team had previously analyzed the genome of a different edible seaweed species called Okinawa mozuku. 

Both seaweed species contain exceptionally high concentrations of fucoidan, a substance that is believed to have enormous health benefits such as preventing the formation of blood clots and cancerous tumors. The scientists have now discovered which genes are responsible for the high fucoidan concentration. 

The researchers found that both mozuku species contain a fused gene that drives the production of fucoidan. On their own, the two genes code for two separate enzymes. Once they are fused, the genes can be expressed simultaneously and produce a single enzyme equipped with two functions. This enzyme is what enables mozuku to make fucoidan so efficiently.

The study also revealed that ito-mozuku has an additional pair of fused genes that is not present in Okinawa mozuku. They predict that these genes are responsible for a chemical reaction that could be key to the substance's health benefits.

Beyond the implications for the health food industry, the research is aimed at developing new farming techniques. Study first author Dr. Koki Nishitsuji, a staff scientist in the OIST Marine Genomics Unit, is now working to develop genetic markers to distinguish ito-mozuku from Okinawa mozuku.

“My future plan is to establish new methods for cultivation of this species,” said Dr. Nishitsuji. “Using those markers, we can do cross-breeding. This is a popular method for making new varieties of land plants, especially wheat and potatoes, but in the case of seaweed, no one has succeeded in cross-breeding.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/">The Lancet</a>.
--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: OIST

Scientists sequence the genome of popular Japanese seaweed

Researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate...

Pi Day, so named for the number pi which has an infinite number of decimals and is used in equations involving circles, spheres, and ellipses falls on March 14th because pi is often rounded to 3.14. 

And this Pi Day, <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> created a series of puzzles that let you play space explorer for a day and try your hand at tackling pi math problems. 

For six years, the NASA Pi Day Challenge has been a unique way to engage with the public and share the complex puzzles and problems that a typical NASA scientist might deal with in the field.

The four puzzles this year are all based on real-world problems that NASA has encountered or equipment that NASA works with and operates. 

For example, the “Deadly Dust Challenge” asks puzzlers to use pi to calculate how much of Mars was covered by a dust storm.

 In 2018, a massive dust storm blanketed so much of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-finds-the-building-blocks-of-life-on-mars/">Mars</a>, that NASA’s solar-powered rover <a href="https://mars.nasa.gov/mer/mission/rover-status/opportunity/recent/all/">Opportunity</a>, which had been in operation for 14.5 years, shut down and was unable to recover. 

Another puzzle involves calculating the volume of a cloud. 

The games are aimed at students grades six to twelve, but math fans of all ages are invited to try their hand at the problems which include colorful illustrations. 

“We design the challenge for students because we want them to see how pi, which they're learning about in math, is used at NASA,” said Lyle Tavernier, who helped develop the problems for the challenge with JPL's Education Office. “But it's a challenge we have found so many people really get onboard with because adults and kids alike get excited about pi.” 

You can try the puzzles yourself at the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/nasapidaychallenge">Pi in the Sky Challenge website</a>, and the answers will be revealed on March 15th. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kavandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Celebrate Pi Day with NASA’s Pi in the Sky challenge

Pi Day, so named for the number pi which has...

Scientists have widely agreed that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-tools-hunt-distance/">tool-making</a> is one of the key behaviors that distinguished our human ancestors from other primates. But now, a new study from <a href="http://www.emory.edu/home/index.html">Emory University</a> suggests that it was not the act of tool-making that set hominins apart, but that it was the act of making tools smaller. 

“It's a need that we've been perennially faced with and driven by,” said study lead author and anthropologist Justin Pargeter. “Miniaturization is the thing that we do.”

The research, which provides the first comprehensive outline of prehistoric tool miniaturization, proposes that miniaturization is a central tendency in hominin technologies that dates back at least 2.6 million years.

“When other apes used stone tools, they chose to go big and stayed in the forests where they evolved,” said study co-author Professor John Shea. “Hominins chose to go small, went everywhere, and transformed otherwise hostile habitats to suit our changing needs.”

The study authors found that small stone flakes used for piercing, cutting, and scraping appeared in the archeological record at sites on every continent. According to Pargeter, these stone flakes were like the disposable razor blades or paperclips of today - easy to make and easily replaced.

As Pargeter explored ideas for a thesis topic, he examined artifacts from a South African site called Boomplaas. He discovered a sliver of crystal quartz that looked like it had been designed using a highly technical method called pressure flaking. “It was diminutive, about the size of a small raisin, and weighed less than half a penny. You could literally blow it off your finger.”

Under a magnifying glass, there was evidence that the tiny piece of quartz had been used for hunting. “It suddenly occurred to me that archeologists may have missed a major component of our stone tool record,” said Pargeter. “In our desire to make 'big' discoveries we may have overlooked tiny, but important, details. A whole technology could lay hidden behind our methods, relegated to bags considered waste material.”

Pargeter theorized that the tiny flake could have been hafted, using a plant-based resin, onto a link shaft that would fit onto a light arrow shaft.

“The link shaft goes into the animal, sacrificing the small blade, but the arrow shaft pops out so you can retain this more costly component. Our ancestors were masters of aerodynamics and acted like engineers, rather than what we think of as 'cave people.' They built redundancy into their technological systems, allowing them to easily repair their tools and to reduce the impact of errors.”

“The hands of other primates are not evolved for repeated fine manipulation in high-force tasks,” explained Pargeter. “We've evolved a unique precision grip that ratchets up our ability for miniaturized technology.”

Dietrich Stout is the director of the Paleolithic Technology Laboratory at Emory University. He described how Pargeter's work adds another dimension to the investigation of human evolution. “He's exploring what may have led to the compulsion to produce these tiny instruments - essentially the relationship between the tools and the human body, brain and the probable uses of the tools,” said Stout.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15206505">Evolutionary Anthropology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Emory University

The miniaturization of tools is a specifically human trait

Scientists have widely agreed that tool-making is one of the...

Gentrification is a problematic but all too common issue in urban planning and development in many cities in the US and Canada. 

The upscale transition of low-income neighborhoods renovated to accommodate middle class and affluent residents can drive up rental and housing prices and displace former residents.  But gentrification can also bring much-needed facilities, services, and goods that were otherwise absent from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-the-greening-of-cities-does-not-benefit-everyone-equally/">underserved pre-gentrified areas</a>.

While gentrification is becoming increasingly common and a political point of contention, it can be challenging to study or even to define gentrification as it occurs. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uottawa.ca/en">University of Ottawa </a>in Canada have developed a deep mapping computer model that takes data from Google Street View to track gentrification on a property-by-property basis. 

Previously, studies into gentrification analyzed census data, but this did little to identify warning signs of gentrification or show how individual properties changed over time in a gentrified neighborhood. 

“Gentrification is reshaping our cities, but at the same time it is hard to determine where and how fast the phenomena occurs in large dynamic urban centers,” the researchers said. 

In this new study, published in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0212814">PLOS ONE</a>, the researchers used Google Street View panoramas of properties in the urban core of Ottawa from 2007 through 2016 and developed a deep-mapping computer model to read and process the data. 

The model searched through the panoramas looking for indicators of gentrification like home improvements and renovations. The model was able to identify gentrification with a 95 percent accuracy compared to a human. 

In the Greenbelt neighborhood, the computer found 3,483 indicators of gentrification at 2,922 properties. 

The model’s analysis matched a map that marked where development and building permits had been issued. Having a way to track gentrification at the property level will help aid in further defining and tackling the problems of gentrification in cities across North America. 

“These maps have direct implications for planning, social justice and addressing inequality in this large urban center,” the researchers concluded. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Ilic et al, 2019

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

New tool uses Google Street View to track neighborhood gentrification

Gentrification is a problematic but all too common issue in...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.seas.harvard.edu/">Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences</a> (SEAS) is taking a realistic approach to solar radiation management (SRM). The researchers have determined that solar geoengineering aimed at simply reducing <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-weather-patterns/">global warming</a>, instead of an attempt to completely resolve it, could produce benefits across the planet without causing drastic changes to any particular region. 

Study senior author David Keith is the Gordon McKay Professor of Applied Physics at SEAS.

“Some of the problems identified in earlier studies where solar geo-engineering offset all warming are examples of the old adage that the dose makes the poison,” said Professor Keith. “This study takes a big step towards using climate variables most relevant for human impacts and finds that no IPCC-defined region is made worse off in any of the major climate impact indicators. Big uncertainties remain, but climate models suggest that geoengineering could enable surprisingly uniform benefits.”

Solar geoengineering, which involves spraying aerosols into the atmosphere to artificially cool the Earth, has been widely criticized for its potential to have disastrous consequences in some regions and benefits in others. 

The Harvard team has found that the secret to the project’s success would be a focus on limited deployment of the technology. By using a high-resolution model to simulate extreme temperatures, water availability, rainfall, and tropical cyclones, the experts determined that this approach would have more uniform benefits. 

The study revealed that using solar geoengineering to cut additional global warming in half would not only cool the entire planet, but would also moderate changes in water availability and extreme precipitation in many areas. The findings suggest that the chance of tropical cyclones and extreme rainfall would be greatly reduced. 

“For years, geoengineering has focused on compensating for greenhouse gas induced warming without worrying too much about other quantities like rainfall and storms,” said study co-author Professor Kerry Emanuel. “This study shows that a more modest engineered reduction in global warming can lead to better outcomes for the climate as a whole.”

According to the model, less than 0.5 percent of the Earth would experience more extreme climate change.

“The places where solar geoengineering exacerbates climate change were those that saw the least climate change to begin with,” said study lead author Peter Irvine. “Previous work had assumed that solar geo-engineering would inevitably lead to winners and losers with some regions suffering greater harms; our work challenges this assumption. We find a large reduction in climate risk overall without significantly greater risks to any region.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/about">Nature Climate Change</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Artificially cooling the atmosphere could be effective in moderation

A new study from the Harvard John A. Paulson School...

The fossilized teeth of a newly described but long-extinct species of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dna-analysis-mysterious-monkey/">Old World monkey</a> found in Kenya are helping researchers fill in blanks of Old World monkey evolution and diet.  

Between the discovery of a 25 million-year-old fossil monkey tooth found in Tanzania and a 19-million-year-old fossil tooth discovered in Uganda, researchers have been unable to find a fossil that helps link the two.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">University of Texas at Austin</a> and <a href="https://wustl.edu/">Washington University in St. Louis </a>decided to focus on a fossil-rich area in West Turkana that millions of years ago would have been home to thriving populations of Old Work monkeys in the hopes of filling the six-million-year void. 

“For a group as highly successful as the monkeys of Africa and Asia, it would seem that scientists would have already figured out their evolutionary history,” said John Kappelman, the corresponding author of the study. “Although the isolated tooth from Tanzania is important for documenting the earliest occurrence of monkeys, the next 6 million years of the group's existence are one big blank. This new monkey importantly reveals what happened during the group's later evolution.”

In West Turkana, the researchers found many fossils from reptiles and mammals dating from 21 million years to over 24-million-years-old. Among these fossils were primitive monkey teeth that lacked the molar crests or “lophs” that other Old World monkeys possess. 

The newly described species is called Alophia metios.

[caption id="attachment_1869526" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/fossil-jaw.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1869526" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/fossil-jaw.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="530" /></a> A fossil jaw of the newly discovered ancient Old World monkey named Alophia. Image Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA[/caption]

The findings, published in the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggest that monkeys later evolved lophs to fit a more varied diet. Today, Old World monkeys can eat plants and animal foods with ease. 

“You can think of the modern-day monkey molar as the uber food processor, able to slice, dice, mince and crush all sorts of foods,” said Mercedes Gutierrez, an anatomy professor at the <a href="https://twin-cities.umn.edu/">University of Minnesota</a>.

However, it is not well understood when Old World monkeys developed their highly useful and effective teeth. 

The researchers hypothesize that Old World monkeys evolved lophs when they started eating leaves, something the Alophia would have been unable to do. 

“It is usually assumed that the trait responsible for a group's success evolved when the group originated, but Alophia shows us this is not the case for Old World monkeys,” said Samuel Muteti, a researcher at the <a href="https://www.museums.or.ke/">National Museums of Kenya</a>. “Instead, the characteristic dentition of modern monkeys evolved long after the group first appeared.”

The researchers will continue hunting for fossils that will help confirm their hypothesis and shed more insight into the evolution of Old World monkeys. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Main Image Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA

Fossilized monkey teeth help fill six million year gap in evolution

The fossilized teeth of a newly described but long-extinct species...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Nushagak Bay, a large estuary in southwest Alaska. Nushagak runs mainly north to south and exits in Bristol Bay, a large body of water in the Bering Sea.



"The bay is primarily fed by the Nushagak River, which begins in the Alaska Range and flows southwest approximately 450 km. The bay is also fed by several additional rivers including the Wood, Igushik, Snake and Weary rivers," says ESA.



"The dark colors of the Nushagak River are most likely due to tannins or lignins (chemical substances found in plants). Tannins and lignins from roots, leaves, seeds, bark and soil can leach into the water and give it a brown or even black colour. The sediments then flow southwards where it is mixed with the bluer waters of the bay."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



"The main antigenic targets of influenza virus are two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Whereas the structural and dynamical properties of both glycoproteins have been studied previously, the understanding of their plasticity in the whole-virion context is fragmented," wrote the researchers.



To investigate, the team conducted detailed simulations of the influenza A H1N1 virion, or the swine flu. The experts concluded that the visualizations show many new vulnerable states of flu viruses, which could improve future vaccines and antiviral drugs.



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



"In this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, captured on 6 August 2022, the lake’s emerald green colour is likely due to the presence of phytoplankton. Streaks in the water, particularly visible in the west, indicate the presence of soil and sediments which have been stirred up by winds. Dark colored waters in the southern part of the lake indicate a presence of submerged and floating macrophytes (aquatic plants) as well as algae," says ESA.



"Surrounded by hills on three sides, Trasimeno is subject to heavy storms created by winds, especially from the north and west. There are three islets in the lake: Maggiore, Minore and Polvese (the largest). The lake’s shores are sparsely inhabited with only two popular villages: Castiglione del Lago and Passignano sul Trasimeno."



"Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years which has affected drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power and agricultural production. High temperatures, hot winds and lack of rainfall are the main causes of drought in the Umbrian region which saw Lake Trasimeno’s drop 1.3 m, reaching the limit of the hydrometric zero in July 2022."



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



The oxidized form of mercury can be harmful when it is ingested through contaminated water or food. This makes it necessary for experts to develop sensors that can quickly and accurately detect the presence of mercury.&nbsp;



Zong-Hong Lin and colleagues have now created a triboelectric nanosensor (TENS) that can detect mercury by simply by touching a sample. According to the researchers, their TENS could serve as the basis for similar devices to safely and remotely monitor other pollutants.



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Kainji Lake, a reservoir on the Niger River.



In 1968, Kainji Lake was created by the construction of the Kainji Dam. The Niger River, the third longest in Africa, enters the lake in the north.&nbsp;



According to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rivers-in-the-american-west-are-a-lifesaving-resource-for-birds/">ESA</a>, the creation of the lake submerged Foge Island and the town of Bussa and permanently flooded other riverine settlements, leaving around 50,000 people displaced.&nbsp;



Large parts of Foge Island are temporarily exposed during low water tides, and the land is often used by migrating fishermen. Kainji Dam is a dam across the Niger River in Niger State of Central Nigeria. 



Wild mammals occur at relatively low densities due to illegal hunting. Lake Kainji has suffered a dramatic decline as a fishery due to the high numbers of artisanal and subsistence fisherfolk using the lake. It has been suggested that a period of closure, together with controlled fishing rights may help improve fish stocks.



Kainji Lake National Park is the oldest of its kind in Nigeria. The park contains three distinct areas: a part of the Kainji Lake, the Borgu Game Reserve to the west of the lake, and the Zugurma Game Reserve to the southeast. The park is home to around 65 mammal species, 350 bird species, and 30 species of reptiles and amphibians. 



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



'The weather of Santiago resembles the Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (from October to March) and cool and humid winters that can drop to 0°C (from April to September)."



"The city lies in the centre of the country’s central valley around 80 km from the Pacific Ocean to the west and borders Argentina to the east. A tiny part of Argentina is visible in the top-right corner of the image where the mountain crest of the Andes Mountains acts as a divider between the two countries," says ESA.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Santiago, Chile in South America

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Spiral,Galaxy,,Illustration,Of,Milky,Way

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"]</div>



Astronomers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> have created an interactive map of the universe, including the actual position and real colors of 200,000 galaxies. The map allows the public to access data that was previously only available to scientists.



The map was developed using data collected by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For over two decades, a telescope in New Mexico was aimed at slightly different locations to capture the night sky.&nbsp;



"Growing up I was very inspired by astronomy pictures, stars, nebulae and galaxies, and now it's our time to create a new type of picture to inspire people," said map creator Brice Ménard, a professor at Johns Hopkins. "Astrophysicists around the world have been analyzing this data for years, leading to thousands of scientific papers and discoveries. But nobody took the time to create a map that is beautiful, scientifically accurate, and accessible to people who are not scientists. Our goal here is to show everybody what the universe really looks like."



"In this map, we are just a speck at the very bottom, just one pixel. And when I say we, I mean our galaxy, the Milky Way which has billions of stars and planets. We are used to seeing astronomical pictures showing one galaxy here, one galaxy there or perhaps a group of galaxies. But what this map shows is a very, very different scale."



"From this speck at the bottom, we are able to map out galaxies across the entire universe, and that says something about the power of science."



The <a href="https://mapoftheuniverse.net/">interactive map</a> is available online, where it can be downloaded for free.



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. Beyond its pub culture, Dublin is known as a modern culinary destination and a UNESCO City of Literature.



"Dublin is located near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast in the province of Leinster. The city, which covers an area of around 115 square kilometers, is bordered by the Dublin Mountains, a low mountain range to the south, and is surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west," says ESA.



"The city straddles the River Liffey, which rises in the Wicklow Mountains and flows around 80 kilometers eastwards through the city of Dublin, in which it is canalised and bordered with quays. It then empties into Dublin Bay, an arm of the Irish Sea."



Dublin has an abundance of green spaces, including one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital city. Phoenix Park, which was originally formed as a royal hunting park in the 1660s, includes 707 hectares of green space.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



"Together with the provinces of Huesca and Teruel, Zaragoza formed the old kingdom of Aragon. Its capital, also called Zaragoza (not visible in this image) is home to around half of Aragon’s population," says ESA.



"The Ebro River can be seen winding its way through the province from west to east in this image. Between its source in the Cantabrian Mountains in the northwest and its delta on the Mediterranean coast, the Ebro River is fed by more than 200 tributaries as it flows 910 km across much of northern Spain."



Since rainfall is very scarce in this region, irrigation in the Ebro basin is critically important. In the valleys surrounding the Ebro River, many fields are used for growing crops such as corn, wheat, and barley.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Pyrenees Mountains, which form a natural boundary between France and Spain in southwest Europe.



The mountain range is 430 kilometers in length. It stretches from the Mediterranean Sea on the east to the Atlantic Ocean on the west.



At an elevation of 3404 meters, Pico de Aneto is the highest mountain peak in the Pyrenees, and the third-highest peak in Spain. Pico de Aneto is located in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park, which spans more than 82,000 acres.&nbsp;



"Geological studies have revealed that the Pyrenees Mountains have been around for longer than the Alps, with their sediments first deposited in coastal basins during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras," reports ESA.



"The entire mountain range formed due to the upwelling of large sedimentary rocks by the collision of the Iberian and the Eurasian plate around 100 to 150 million years ago, followed by intense erosion from ice and water."



The western Pyrenees receive more precipitation due to moisture blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean. The mountain range contains many lakes, several small glaciers, and some of the highest waterfalls in Europe.



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0dEcERCq61-2283382-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes why experts are studying zebrafish to gain a better understanding of how the immune system responds to injury. Zebrafish have the ability to repair and regenerate organs.



“Organ regeneration offers an exciting opportunity for studying the immune system and to inquire why some species can regenerate organs like the heart or missing limbs while others like humans cannot,” explained Dr. Tatjana Piotrowski.



Zebrafish sensory organ hair cells are an ideal system to investigate the pathways and cell types involved in regeneration since they are easily destroyed with antibiotics and begin regenerating within five hours. This enabled the researchers to identify the exact timing and genetic programs for each anti-inflammatory macrophage activation state.&nbsp;



“Our hypothesis is that human macrophages do not receive the proper chemical activation 'cocktail' to instruct pro-regenerative processes,” said Dr. Nicolas Denans. “Identifying the molecular recipe of macrophage activation in zebrafish may one day enable us to design regenerative immunotherapies in humans.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The new evidence is a valuable resource for comparative studies on the genetic programs involved in macrophage-mediated repair and regeneration. In other words, different types of injuries may induce different kinds of inflammatory responses. We want to decipher whether this 'language' is universal or if there are a variety of dialects."



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

How the immune system responds to injury

[sendtonews key="0dEcERCq61-2283382-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Stowers...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes two exoplanets that are orbiting a star 218 light-years away. A team of researchers led by the University of Montreal has found evidence that these planets are "water worlds."



The experts used data from NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. They discovered that exoplanets Kepler-138 c and Kepler-138 could be composed largely of water.



"We previously thought that planets that were a bit larger than Earth were big balls of metal and rock, like scaled-up versions of Earth, and that's why we called them super-Earths," explained study co-author Björn Benneke.&nbsp;



"However, we have now shown that these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, are quite different in nature and that a big fraction of their entire volume is likely composed of water. It is the best evidence yet for water worlds, a type of planet that was theorized by astronomers to exist for a long time."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...